In 2016 the Diocese has operated through consistency and well-planned work order of the Diocesan Headquarters, the Legal Affairs and Cooperation Department, the Cultural Department, the Department of Education, the Press and Media Department, the Department of Youth Affairs, the Finance Department, the Administrative Department, Cultural, Educational and Youth Centers, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka’s General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

The reporting period has been very productive for the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia. The Diocese has undertaken comprehensive activities in different spheres. The clergy and the Diocesan employees headed by the Diocesan Primate were involved in the work.

Following is the Annual Report on the Spiritual, Religious, Cultural, Educational, Youth, Informative, and Homiletic Activities of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia for 2016.

ANNUAL REPORT ON THE SPIRITUAL, RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, YOUTH, INFORMATIVE, HOMILETIC ACTIVITIES OF THE ARMENIAN DIOCESE IN GEORGIA FOR 2015

2015 has been very productive for the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia. The Diocese has undertaken comprehensive activities in different spheres. The clergy and the Diocesan employees headed by the Diocesan Primate were involved in the work.

During the reporting period the Diocese has operated through consistency and well-planned work order of the Diocesan Headquarters, the Legal Affairs and Cooperation Department, the Cultural Department, the Department of Education, the Press and Media Department, the Department of Youth Affairs, the Finance Department, the Administrative Department, Cultural, Educational and Youth Centers, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka’s General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. There were two main directions for the work:

REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE GEORGIAN REGIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE EVENTS DEDICATED TO THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire at the turn of the 20th century is a part of the destiny of all Armenians around the world. On the threshold of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Armenians worldwide had united around the State Commission on the Coordination of Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and prepared for 2015

remembering,

condemning the genocidal acts against the Armenian people, and demanding compensation,

expressing gratitude to those states and nations, who condemned Turkish crimes and provided shelter to Armenians,

realizing the debt we owe to Holy Martyrs,

with pan-Armenian achievements.

The Georgian Regional Committee on the Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was established in April 2014, under the presidency of His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia, and through the direct involvement of RA Embassy in Georgia. The membership of the Committee included Georgian MPs of Armenian descent, state officials, community and regional leaders. The Committee convened seven times. During the meetings the programs were drawn up and discussions on coordination of the projects took place; high-level events were organized, tens of thousands of people and the representatives of different diplomatic corps participated in these events. More than 100 commemorative events were held:

Ecumenical Prayer Service and the memorial evenings were held in the sister churches (4 memorial evenings);

The live broadcast of the ceremony of Canonization for the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin was organized in the churches of the Diocese;

Petitions were handed over to the Government of Georgia requesting to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide;

Georgian MPs of Armenian descent addressed the Parliament of Georgia urging to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide;

With the support of RA Embassy in Georgia high-ranking officials of Georgia particiated in Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide, in Yerevan;

Exhibitions, recitals and readings, theatrical performances were held, screenings of documentaries and feature films about the Genocide were organized, books covering history and special editions of newspapers were published, presentations, meetings with the Armenian Genocide survivors, pilgrimages to historic Western Armenia, Kars and Ani were organized (nearly 50 events…).

The events were organized and coordinated by:

The Headquarters of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka’s General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the clergy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia from Batumi, the Hayartun Cultural Educational and Youth Center, the Rafael Javakh Cultural and Educational Center (more than 41 event);

Georgian MPs of Armenian descent;

RA Embassy in Georgia (2 events);

Tbilisi State Drama Theatre after Petros Adamyan (1 performance);

The “Vrastan” Newsletter (“Georgia”) (1 special edition);

The Armenian Community of Georgia NGO (7 events);

The Union of Armenian NGOs in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli (21 event);

Akhaltsikhe Youth Center (12 events);

The Cultural Department in Ninotsminda region and the “Vernatun” Armenian Writers’ Union of Georgia (more than 10 events);

Different Georgian NGOs also were involved in the organization of events, such as:

The Union of Armenian Artists of Georgia;

The Union of Armenian Musicians of Georgia;

The Union of Armenian Intellectuals of Georgia;

The “Armenian Center for Scientific Research in Georgia” NGO;

The Armenian Relief Union of Georgia;

Parvana TV, Ninotsminda;

All Armenian families, all family members – both young and old – participated in the events…The Committee Secretariat has registered and coordinated the working plan and brief summary of the type of work undertaken by the Committee, the information was sent to all the members of the Committee. At present minutes of every Committee meeting have been recorded, official correspondence has been archived. The work undertaken by the Committee was covered by newspapers, television and radio.The reported information has been prepared on the basis of the information provided on official websites of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the Armenian Community of Georgia, Akhaltsikhe Youth Center, on web pages of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka’s General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior) in Batumi, the Rafael Javakh Cultural Educational and Youth Center in Ninotsminda, the “Vrastan” Newsletter (“Georgia”), Tbilisi State Drama Theatre after Petros Adamyan.It should be noted that church services commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide were held in all the churches of the Diocese, the content presented on slides does not include many events held in Tbilisi, the regional cultural halls, and educational institutions. The State Commission was constantly informed on the work undertaken by the Committee. The Commission highly appreciated the consistency of Armenians in Georgia, the full-scale and comprehensive conduction of commemorative events in Georgia. On September 26, 2016, in accordance with the Decree of the RA President, Georgian Regional Committee on the Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was awarded the Presidential Letter of Appreciation for the exceptional contribution of organizing and conducting events related to the 100th Anniversary of the Genocide in Diaspora communities. The Letter of Appreciation was presented to the Chairman of the Committee, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan.The Georgian Committee Secretariat Gisane HovsepyanFebruary 26, 2016The Hayartun Center, Tbilisi